1 Kings 20
1 And Ben-Hadad king of Aram has gathered all his force, and thirty-two kings [are] with him, and horse and chariot, and he goes up and lays siege against Samaria, and fights with it,
UBheni-Hadadi inkosi yama-Aramu waqoqa ibutho lakhe lonke. Wayephelekezelwa ngamakhosi angamatshumi amathathu lamabili ngezinqola zawo zempi lamabhiza, wasuka wayahanqa iSamariya wayihlasela.
2 and sends messengers to Ahab king of Israel, to the city,
Wathuma izithunywa edolobheni ku-Ahabi inkosi yako-Israyeli, esithi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguBheni-Hadadi:
3 and says to him, “Thus said Ben-Hadad: Your silver and your gold are mine, and your wives and your sons—the best—are mine.”
Isiliva legolide lakho ngokwami, abafazi benu abahle kakhulu labantwana ngabami.”
4 And the king of Israel answers and says, “According to your word, my lord, O king: I [am] yours, and all that I have.”
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yaphendula yathi, “Kunjalo nkosi mbusi wami. Mina lakho konke engilakho ngokwakho.”
5 And the messengers turn back and say, “Thus spoke Ben-Hadad, saying, Surely I sent to you, saying, Your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your sons, you give to me;
Izithunywa zaphenduka njalo zisithi, “UBheni-Hadadi uthi: ‘Ngathumela ngathi ngifuna isiliva legolide lakho, abafazi labantwabakho.
6 for if, at this time tomorrow, I send my servants to you, then they have searched your house, and the houses of your servants, and it has been [that] every desirable thing of your eyes they place in their hand, and have taken [them] away.”
Kodwa ngasolesi isikhathi kusasa ngizathumela izikhulu zami ukuzakhuthuza isigodlo sakho lezindlu zezikhulu zakho. Zizabutha yonke into eligugu kuwe zikuthathele.’”
7 And the king of Israel calls to all [the] elderly of the land and says, “Please know and see that this [one] is seeking evil, for he sent to me for my wives, and for my sons, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I did not withhold from him.”
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yasibiza bonke abadala belizwe yathi kubo, “Ake libone lindoda edinga uhlupho! Ithe isithi ifuna abafazi bami labantwabami, isiliva legolide lami, angizange ngale.”
8 And all the elderly and all the people say to him, “Do not listen, nor consent.”
Abadala kanye labantu bonke bathi, “Ungalaleli njalo ungamniki lokho akufunayo.”
9 And he says to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, “Say to my lord the king, All that you sent to your servant for at the first I do, and this thing I am not able to do”; and the messengers go and take him back word.
Yasitshela izithunywa zikaBheni-Hadadi ukuthi, “Tshelani inkosi umbusi wami ukuthi, ‘Inceku yakho izagcwalisa isicelo sakuqala kodwa lesi hayi ayenelisi.’” Zasuka izithunywa zabuyisela impendulo kuBheni-Hadadi.
10 And Ben-Hadad sends to him and says, “Thus the gods do to me, and thus do they add, if the dust of Samaria suffice for handfuls for all the people who [are] at my feet.”
Ngakho uBheni-Hadadi wakhupha ilizwi njalo lisiya ku-Ahabi, wathi: “Kabangihlanekele onkulunkulu, loba kungaba lobunzima obunganani, nxa kuzasala ubhuqu olulingana ukufunjathwa ngamadoda wonke aseSamariya.”
11 And the king of Israel answers and says, “Speak: Do not let him who is girding on boast himself as him who is loosing [his armor].”
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yaphendula yathi, “Mtsheleni lithi: ‘Lowo ohloma ngezempi angabokloloda njengongahlomanga.’”
12 And it comes to pass at the hearing of this word—and he is drinking, he and the kings, in the shelters—that he says to his servants, “Set yourselves”; and they set themselves against the city.
UBheni-Hadadi wemukela lelilizwi ezinathela lamanye amakhosi emathenteni awo, wahle walawula amabutho akhe esithi: “Hlomelani ukuhlasela.” Basebelungisela ukuhlasela idolobho.
13 And behold, a certain prophet has come near to Ahab king of Israel and says, “Thus said YHWH: Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I am giving it into your hand today, and you have known that I [am] YHWH.”
Kusenjalo kweza umphrofethi ku-Ahabi inkosi yako-Israyeli owafika wabika esithi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Uyalibona na ibutho elikhulu kangaka? Ngizalinikela ezandleni zakho lamuhla nje, ukuze wazi ukuba nginguThixo.’”
14 And Ahab says, “By whom?” And he says, “Thus said YHWH: By the young men of the heads of the provinces”; and he says, “Who directs the battle?” And he says, “You.”
U-Ahabi wabuza wathi, “Kodwa ngubani ozakwenza lokhu?” Umphrofethi waphendula wathi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Lokhu kuzakwenziwa ngabalawuli bamabutho ezabelweni abayintanga yabatsha.’” Yena wabuza njalo ukuthi, “Pho ngubani ozayiqalisa impi?” Umphrofethi wamphendula wathi, “Nguwe.”
15 And he inspects the young men of the heads of the provinces, and they are two hundred and thirty-two, and after them he has mustered all the people, all the sons of Israel—seven thousand,
Ngakho u-Ahabi wamema abalawuli bamabutho abentanga yabatsha ezabelweni, abangamakhulu amabili lamatshumi amathathu lambili. Waseqoqa labo bonke abanye abako-Israyeli abazinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa ndawonye.
16 and they go out at noon, and Ben-Hadad is drinking—drunk in the shelters, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings helping him.
Basuka emini enkulu ngesikhathi uBheni-Hadadi lamakhosi angamatshumi amathathu lambili ayezomhlomulela belokhu besazinathela bedakwa emathenteni abo.
17 And the young men of the heads of the provinces go out at the first, and Ben-Hadad sends, and they declare to him, saying, “Men have come out of Samaria.”
Abalawuli bezabelweni bentanga yabatsha basuka kuqala. UBheni-Hadadi wayethumele inhloli, ezabika ukuthi, “Kulamadoda ezayo evela eSamariya.”
18 And he says, “If they have come out for peace, catch them alive; and if they have come out for battle, catch them alive.”
Yena wathi, “Nxa esiza ngokuthula, athumbeni ephila; nxa ezohlasela, athumbeni ephila.”
19 And these have gone out of the city—the young men of the heads of the provinces—and the force that [is] after them,
Abalawuli bamabutho ezabelweni abentanga yabatsha baphuma edolobheni belandelwa libutho
20 and each strikes his man, and Aram flees, and Israel pursues them, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram escapes on a horse—and the horsemen;
njalo ngamunye wabo wabulala lowo ayeqondene laye. Ebona lokhu, ama-Aramu abaleka, ama-Israyeli axotshana lawo. Kodwa uBheni-Hadadi inkosi yama-Aramu wabaleka ngebhiza lamanye amabutho ayesilwa ngamabhiza.
21 and the king of Israel goes out, and strikes the horses, and the charioteers, and has struck among the Arameans a great striking.
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yaqhubeka yakhulela abamabhiza kanye labezinqola zempi yatshaya yabhuqa ama-Aramu amanengi kakhulu.
22 And the prophet comes near to the king of Israel and says to him, “Go, strengthen yourself, and know and see that which you do, for at the turn of the year the king of Aram is coming up against you.”
Ngemva kwalokho, umphrofethi waya enkosini yako-Israyeli wafika wathi, “Hloma uphelele ubone ukuthi ungenzani, ngoba entwasa inkosi yama-Aramu iyeza izokuhlasela futhi.”
23 And the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods [are] gods of hills, therefore they were stronger than us; and yet, we fight with them in the plain—are we not stronger than they?
Kusenjalo, izikhulu zenkosi yase-Aramu zayicebisa zathi, “Onkulunkulu babo ngonkulunkulu bezintabeni. Yikho besikhulele. Kodwa singalwela emagcekeni, ngempela sizabakhulela.
24 And this thing you do: turn aside each of the kings out of his place, and set captains in their stead;
Wena yenza kanje: Susa wonke amakhosi ekulawuleni kwawo ufake abanye abalawuli esikhundleni sawo.
25 and you, number for yourself a force as the force that is fallen from you, and horse for horse, and chariot for chariot, and we fight with them in the plain; are we not stronger than they?” And he listens to their voice, and does so.
Njalo kumele uqoqe amanye amabutho anjengala anqotshwayo, kulingane amabhiza kanye lezinqola zempi ukuze silwele emagcekeni labako-Israyeli. Ngalokho akulakuthandabuza ukuthi sizabe silamandla kulabo.” Wavumelana labo wenza njengokutsho kwabo.
26 And it comes to pass at the turn of the year, that Ben-Hadad inspects the Arameans, and goes up to Aphek, to battle with Israel,
Ngesikhathi sentwasa uBheni-Hadadi waqoqa ama-Aramu wasesiya e-Afekhi ukuze alwe labako-Israyeli.
27 and the sons of Israel have been inspected, and supported, and go to meet them, and the sons of Israel encamp before them, like two flocks of goats, and the Arameans have filled the land.
Ama-Israyeli ayeseqoqene, anikwa lemiphako, asuka ayawahlangabeza. Ama-Israyeli amisa maqondana lawo kungathi yimihlanjana yembuzi emibili, kanti ama-Aramu ayegcwele indawana yonke.
28 And a man of God comes near, and speaks to the king of Israel and says, “Thus said YHWH: Because that the Arameans have said, YHWH [is] God of [the] hills, but He [is] not God of [the] valleys—I have given the whole of this great multitude into your hand, and you have known that I [am] YHWH.”
Umphrofethi kaNkulunkulu wasesiya enkosini yako-Israyeli wafika wathi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Njengoba ama-Aramu esithi uThixo ngunkulunkulu wezintaba hatshi uNkulunkulu wezigodi, ngizanikela wonke amabutho awo amanengi kangaka ezandleni zakho, ukuze wazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo.’”
29 And they encamp opposite one another [for] seven days, and it comes to pass on the seventh day, that the battle draws near, and the sons of Israel strike one hundred thousand footmen of Aram in one day.
Bajamelana okwensuku eziyisikhombisa, kwathi ngosuku lwesikhombisa bahlaselana. Ama-Israyeli abulala abazinkulungwane ezilikhulu phakathi kwamabutho ama-Aramu ahamba ngezinyawo ngosuku olulodwa.
30 And those left flee to Aphek, into the city, and the wall falls on twenty-seven chief men who are left, and Ben-Hadad has fled, and comes into the city, into the innermost part.
Amanye amabutho abalekela edolobheni lase-Afekhi, lapho adilikelwa khona ngumduli owabulala izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa. Kwathi uBheni-Hadadi wabalekela edolobheni lapho afika wacatsha endlini ephakathi.
31 And his servants say to him, “Now behold, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel—that they are kind kings; please let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and we go out to the king of Israel; it may be he keeps you alive.”
Izikhulu zakhe zathi kuye, “Khangela, sesizwile ukuthi amakhosi ako-Israyeli ngamakhosi alomusa. Asihambeni enkosini yako-Israyeli sembethe amasaka okhalweni njalo sibophe amakhanda ngentambo. Mhlawumbe izakuxolela ingakubulali.”
32 And they gird sackcloth on their loins, and ropes [are] on their heads, and they come to the king of Israel, and say, “Your servant Ben-Hadad has said, Please let me live”; and he says, “Is he still alive? He [is] my brother.”
Basuka bethandele amasaka ezinkalweni zabo, bebophe amakhanda ngentambo, baya enkosini yako-Israyeli bafika bathi, “Inceku yakho uBheni-Hadadi ithi, ‘Ngicela ungiyekele ngiphile.’” Inkosi yathi, “Ulokhu esaphila? Ngumfowethu lowo.”
33 And the men observe diligently, and hurry, and catch [the word] from him, and say, “Your brother Ben-Hadad”; and he says, “Go in, bring him”; and Ben-Hadad comes out to him, and he causes him to come up on the chariot.
Amadoda lawo abona lokhu kukhomba ubuhle alithathela phezulu lelilizwi athi, “Ye, umfowenu uBheni-Hadadi!” Inkosi yathi, “Hambani liyemthatha.” Lakanye uBheni-Hadadi uthe efika, u-Ahabi wathi kakhwele enqoleni yakhe yempi.
34 And he says to him, “The cities that my father took from your father, I give back, and you make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria; and I, with a covenant, send you away”; and he makes a covenant with him, and sends him away.
UBheni-Hadadi wazibika esithi, “Ngizabuyisela wonke amadolobho athunjwa ngubaba kuyihlo. Ungazilungisela izindawo zokuthengiselana eDamaseko, njengoba ubaba laye wayelazo eSamariya.” U-Ahabi wathi, “Ngesivumelwano ngizakukhulula.” Wasesenza isivumelwano laye wamkhulula.
35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of YHWH, “Please strike me”; and the man refuses to strike him,
Ngelizwi likaThixo omunye wamadodana abaphrofethi wathi komunye, “Ake ungitshaye ngesikhali sakho,” kodwa wala.
36 and he says to him, “Because that you have not listened to the voice of YHWH, behold, you are going from me, and the lion has struck you”; and he goes from him, and the lion finds him, and strikes him.
Ngakho umphrofethi wasesithi, “Njengoba ungalalelanga ilizwi likaThixo, uzakuthi usuka kimi ubulawe yisilwane.” Ngemva kokusuka kwakhe, wafunyanwa yisilwane sambulala.
37 And he finds another man and says, “Please strike me”; and the man strikes him, striking and wounding,
Umphrofethi wafumana enye njalo indoda wathi kuyo, “Ake ungigwaze.” Yamgwaza leyondoda yamlimaza.
38 and the prophet goes and stands for the king on the way, and disguises himself with ashes on his eyes.
Umphrofethi wasuka wayamelela inkosi endleleni. Wazifihla ubuso bakhe ngeqhiye.
39 And it comes to pass—the king is passing by—that he has cried to the king and says, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a man has turned aside and brings a man to me, and says, Keep this man; if he is at all missing, then your life has been for his life, or you weigh out a talent of silver;
Kuthe inkosi isedlula khonapho, umphrofethi wayimemeza esithi, “Inceku yakho ibe iphakathi kwempi etshisayo, kwathi omunye weza kimi lothunjiweyo wathi, ‘Linda lumuntu. Nxa engabaleka, uzamfela wena, loba uhlawule ngethalenta lesiliva.’
40 and it comes to pass, your servant is working here and there, and he is not!” And the king of Israel says to him, “Your judgment [is] right; you have determined [it].”
Kuthe inceku yakho isaphathekile lapha lalaphaya, umuntu lowo wanyamalala.” Inkosi yako-Israyeli yathi, “Leso yiso isigwebo sakho. Usuvele wasiqamba wena ngokwakho.”
41 And he hurries and turns aside the ashes from off his eyes, and the king of Israel discerns him, that he [is] of the prophets,
Umphrofethi waphanga wembula ubuso bakhe, inkosi yako-Israyeli yabona ukuthi ngomunye wabaphrofethi.
42 and he says to him, “Thus said YHWH: Because you have sent away the man I devoted, out of [your] hand, even your life has been for his life, and your people for his people”;
Wathi enkosini, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Usukhulule umuntu ebengithe kumele afe. Kutsho ukuthi usuzamfela wena, labantu bakho bazafela abantu bakhe.’”
43 and the king of Israel goes to his house, sulky and angry, and comes to Samaria.
Ngokuhlulukelwa langokuzonda, inkosi yako-Israyeli yasuka yabuyela esigodlweni sayo eSamariya.
